Cabo Verde wasn't supposed to stand a chance against Lionel Messi and Argentina. Instead, the island nation off the coast of West Africa pushed the defending World Cup champions to extra time before a narrow 3-2 loss. It was the smallest country in tournament history to reach the World Cup knockout stage.

Now the roughly 550,000-person island nation is finding a new audience. Expedia tracked a more than 800% jump in searches from Americans as of June 11. Google searches climbed more than 5,000%, and TUI said searches on its digital channels doubled from last year.

That attention could help Cabo Verde grow a tourism industry built almost entirely on Europeans booking all-inclusive packages. Seven European countries account for more than 70% of arrivals, while the United States makes up just 1% of foreign hotel guests. President Jose Maria Neves is courting American money, and made a stop at an Atlanta investment summit earlier this year.

Morocco and Croatia both turned World Cup runs into lasting tourism gains. But awareness is only the first step. Without more air routes and hotel rooms, Cabo Verde’s window could close before the infrastructure catches up.